Material spreader



Fel l, 1944- G. o. HoFFsTETTER 2,340,810

MATERIAL SPREADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1942 MM" M Moz/MMM Feb. l, 1944. G. o. HoFFsTE'r'I-ER MATERIAL SPREADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18. 1942 4, M a A, Z a M f W z im v J u Mw Q.. 5 W., f, f.

Feb l, 1944- G. o. HoFFsTETTER I 2,340,810

MATERIAL SPREADER Filed Feb. 18, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. l, 1944 UNITED STATES` PATENT GFFICE MATERIAL SPREADER George O. Ho'stetter, Jerseyville, Ill,

Application February 18, 1942, Serial No. 431,420-

4 Claims.

This invention relates to material spreading or broadcasting devices.

This is a continuation in part of my Patent Number 2,293,977 issued August 25, 1942, for Material spreading devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a mobile spreading apparatus for spreading or broadcasting a fertilizer, such as lime, or other granular, comminuted, or crushed material, the spreading structure being connected with the power take-olf of a truck or other power device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is in the form of a two-purpose device, one purpose being for discharging the material in a relatively narrow ribbon on the ground, and the second purpose being for spreading the material in a wide path.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind which is capable of spreading either dry or moist material.

A further object of this invention is t provide an improved hopper for holding the material and an improved means for agitatingthe material in the lower portion of the hopper, so that the material will be in a condition for easy shifting toward the rear of the hopper.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved spreader unit which is so constructed that the unit may be bodily removed from the hopper structure for repair or replacement of the parts thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spreader unit which may be detachably coupled with the hopper structure and with a power source, so that the hopper structure which includes a conveying means may be used either by itself for discharging a narrow ribbon of the material on the ground, or may be combined with the spreader unit for spreading the material in a wide path.

A further object of this invention is to provide as a new article of manufacture, a spreader unit for detachable mounting on the end gate of a truck body, the unit being operatively coupled with the power take-off of the truck.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a detachable spreader unit for a truck body, an improved means for mounting the unit on the end gate of the truck, so that the unit may be quickly and easily mounted on or removed from the truck without the use of tools.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spreader unit which includes a hopper or chute for receiving the material from the conveyor and discharging the material at a selected point on the rotating spreader.

To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts 'as will be more specically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertically sectional view taken longitudinally through a material spreading device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the rear portionv of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

'Figure 4' is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section of a modified form of conveyor structure,

Figure 8 is a detail rear elevation partly broken away of an improved automatically releasabley gate, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Referring now to the drawingsy the numeral" |61 designates generally a hopper structure which includes downwardly convergent bottom walls |68, vertical side walls |69 and front and rear end Walls |10 and |1| respectively. The hopper |61 is formed in the rear wall |1| thereof with a discharge opening |12, and a vertically shiftable gate or valve |13 which is slidable in guide members |14 is adapted to regulatethe amount of material which may be discharged through the opening |12; l

The hopper |61 is formed in the lower portion thereof with a discharge opening I 15 and an end less conveyor member |16 engages below the open ing |15 and has the upper run |11 thereof disposed closely adjacent the lower edges of the bottom walls |68. The conveyor |16 may be constructed in the form of a chain conveyor which is mounted on a front sprocket or drum memberV |18 l* carried by a shaft |19 and a rear sprocket or drum member xedlyv mounted on a shaft |8l. 'Ihe upper run |11 of the conveyor |16 is substantially horizontal and in order to provide a means whereby the position of the hopper 61 with respect to the vehicle chassis |82 may be lowered, I have provided a plurality of transversely disposed supporting members |83 of channel form which are secured at the opposite ends thereof to the longitudinal beams forming the chassis |82. The conveyor |16 movably engages between a pair of opposed channel members |84 and |85 and preferably the channel members |84 and |85 are cut out as at |86 in order to permit the insertion of the transverse channel members |83 within the lower portions of the longitudinal channel members |84 and |85. The channel members |84 and |85 are disposedv along. the opposite longitudinal edges of the discharge opening |15, and preferably, the conveyor |16 engages adjacent the opposite edges thereof within the channels of the members |84 and |85 as shown in Figure 4.

A pair of idler rollers |81 andA |88l are rotatably mounted between the channel members. |84,I |85, beneath the lower run |89 of the conveyor |16 and hold the lower run |89 in upraised position, so that the lower run |89. may readily passover the upper edges of the transverse channel members |83.

As shown in Figure 1 theupper run |11 ofthe conveyor |16 may slidably engage at the opposite longitudinal edges thereof a pair of inwardly extending angle bars |90 which are xedly secured to the vertical webs of the channel members |84 and |85.

A material distributor or spreader generallyv designatedA as |9|y is mounted at. the rear of the hopper |81 and includes a gear housing |92which has formed integral therewith or fixed thereto a front plate |93 having a pair of forwardly extending anges; |94 formed attheir forward terminal edges with outwardly extending flanges |95. The outturned anges- |95 at their upper ends are each formed with a supporting hook |96 which is adapted to engage over the upper edge of an angle bar |91 secured byv fastening devices |98 to the outer sides off the channel members |84 and |85. A lower fastening mem.V ber |99'may engage through a flange |95 adjacent the lower end portion thereof and: also through the angle member |91', so that the distributor or spreader memberl l-9;| mayv be firmly mounted on the rear portion of the hopper |761. A downwardly reducing material guiding spout 200 is formed integral with the supportingY structure including the plate |93t and the flanges |94 and |95 and extends downwardly therefrom. The forward or upper portion 20|, of the spout 288 is adapted to project beneath the rear end portions of the channel members |84 and |85, as shown in Figure 2*.;

The material which is discharged' fromthe spout 280 is adapted to dropv ontoV the upper surface of a material spreader or broadcasting member 282v which includesv a plate 883y and arcuate blades 284. The spreader member 202 is xedly secured to a vertically disposedI rotatable shaft 205 which isk iourna11edin, thev housing |292A andextends downwardly therefrom. A ben/elled gear 206 is flxedly mounted. on the; shaft 285; in the housing |92-l and meshes with a. second bevelled gear 201 carried by a stubshaft 288. The shaft,

288 isv journalled ina laterally projecting bearing 289 carried by the gear housing |92 and which bearing terminates in a laterallyI disposed gear housing 2|8. A bevelledA gear 2|| is secured to the outer end portion of the shaft 208 and meshes with a bevelled gear 2 I2 carried by a stub shaft 2|3. The stub shaft 2|3 has a coupling socket 2 |4 in its forward end in which is received a splined rear end 2|5 of a drive shaft 2|6.

The drive shaft 216 has xedly mounted thereon a worm 2|1 which meshes with a worm gear 2|8 mounted in a worm gear housing 2|9. The worm gear 2 I8 is fixedly secured to the roller or sprocket shaft l 8| for rotating thedrum or sprocket member |80.

The housing 2 9 is formed on its inner side with a bearing bushing 22| within which the shaft |8| rotatably engages. In Figure 7 there is shown a slightly. modified form of this invention wherein the combined chain and belt conveyor |16 is mounted` in the lower portion of the hopper |61 and the; upper run |11 of the conveyor |16 engages a, plurality of longitudinally spaced apart parallel rollers 222 which are mounted between the longitudinal channel members |84 and |85. In other respects the structure shown in Figure 7 will embody the same structure as shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

In Figures 8 and 9 there is disclosed a modified form of delivery gate wherein a gate 223 is slidably mounted in a pair of vertically disposed guide members 224 which are secured to the rear wall- |1| of the hopper. The gate 223 has secured to the lower portion thereof and on the outer eide an angle shaped horizontally disposed bracing member 2-25 which may be welded or otherwise flXedl-y secured to the gate 223. 'Ihe gate 223 also has securedv to the rear face thereof a pair of upwardly convergent angle bars 226 which are securedV together at their upper ends and also secured to a horizontally disposed plate 221.

A rock lever or handle 2281s pivotally mounted on a pivot member 229 secured to the rear wall 1| and the inner end of the handle 228 has pivotally secured thereto as at 238 the upper end of a gate operating bar or rod 23|. The rod 23| is slid-able through an opening 232 which is formed inthe plate- 221 and the lower portion of the rod 23| has xed thereto a collar 283. A spring 234 engages about the rod 230 and bears at its lower end against the upper side of the plate 221. The upper end of the spring 234 bears against a collar 235. mounted about the rod 23| and bearing against the adjacent end of the handle or lever 228. The handle or lever 228 is adjustably held in a selected position for adjustably disposing the gate 223 in the predetermined position with respect to the conveyor |16 by means of a longitudinally arcuate notched rack or quadrant 236.

The rack or quadrant 236 has fixed thereto a plurality of ears 231 which are secured by fastening devices 238 to the rear side of the rear wall |11'. The handle or lever 228 is provided with a lug 239 which is engageable in a selected keeper or notch 248 formed in the adjacent edge of the quadrant 238. By providing the gate structure 223 with the spring presesd mounting or connection with vthe lever 228 in the event any large or hard object should be moved rearwardly by means of the conveyor |16, the hard object will not iniure the conveyor |16 or break any portion of the device, as this hard object will push the gate 223 upwardly against the tension of the spring 234.

In the use and operation of this material spreader, the material such as lime, rock or the like is placed within the hopper structure |61. rihe conveyor |16 will be operated by means of the drive shaft ZIB, so vas to move the material rearwardly for discharge through the delivery opening |12 in the rear wall ll|. This material will be forced outwardly from the rear end of the hopper and will strike the rear wall |93 of the spreader unit delivery hopper formed by the hopper walls |93, |94, and 29B.

The walls of the spreader unit, being downwardly inclined and downwardly convergent, will deliver the material in correlation with the rearwardly inclined wall 269 at a point closely adjacent the center of the spreader element 292.

In the event it is desired to remove the spreader unit, the bolts |99 may be removed and the spreader unit uncoupled from the drive shaft 2|6 through the medium of the splined coupling between the shaft 2|3 and the splined portion 214 of the shaft 2|6. The hooks |95 will permit the lifting vertically of the spreader unit, so as to thereby completely release the unit from the rear end of the main hopper structure. In the event the hopper is operated with the spreader unit removed therefrom, the material will be discharged from the conveyor |16 in a narrow ribbon on the surface of the ground.

The rear wall |93 of the spreader unit is disposed in horizontal alignment with the endless conveyor so that the material discharged from the conveyor will be forcibly discharged against the rear wall |93. This will result in a breaking up of the material and also a smoothing out of the flow of material through the spreader unit, with the result that an endless conveyor of the cleat or transverse link type may be used for certain types of material without producing an uneven spreading of the material. vertical rear wall |93 constitutes a baffle or abutment against which the material impinges and the use of the regulator gate permits the operation of the conveyor at a fairly rapid rate so as to thereby discharge the desired quantity of niaterial from the receiving hopper.

Where a chain conveyor is used without the baffle |93, there is a tendency for the material to be discharged in splurges, whereas the baffle |93 herein disclosed provides a means whereby the delivery of the material to the spreader elements is evened out and the broadcast of the material by the spreader unit is thus uniform and equalized regardless of the type of the conveyor.

What I claim is:

1. A material spreading apparatus comprising in combination a hopper body for mounting on a truck chassis, said body having a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof, an endless conveyor having one run thereof disposed below said opening and movable toward the rear of the hopper, a vertically movable regulator carried by the rear of the hopper, a centrifugal spreader unit at the rear of the hopper, means removably mounting said unit on said hopper, said means comprising oppositely extending angle members fixed relative to said hopper body, hooks fixed to said unit and engaging over said angle members, bolts extending through said angle members and said unit below said hooks, means connecting said conveyor at the rear of said hopper with a power source, and detachable coupling means carried by said unit and said connecting means whereby said unit Will be connected with said power source, said coupling means comprising axially aligned telescoping shaft members.

2. A material spreading apparatus comprising in combination a material receiving hopper hav- In other words, the

ing a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof and also a delivery opening in an end wall thereof, an endless conveyor below said discharge opening for conveying the material in the direction of said delivery opening, a spreader unit extending from said conveyor and said delivery opening, rotatable spreader means carried by said spreader unit, said spreader` unit including means for delivering the material adjacent the center of said spreader means and also a vertical abutment wall against which the material discharged by said conveyor is adapted to strike, and means detachably supporting said spreader unit rearwardly of said receiving hopper, said latter means comprising oppositely extending angle members fixed relative to said hopper body, hooks fixed to said unit and engaging over said angle members, and bolts extending through said angle members and said unit below said hooks.

3. A material spreading apparatus comprising in combination a material receiving hopper having a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof and also a delivery opening in an end wall thereof, and endless conveyor below said discharge opening for conveying the material in the direction of said delivery opening, a spreader unit extending from said conveyor and said delivery opening, rotatable spreader means carried by said spreader unit, said spreader unit including a vertical rear wall disposed in a position to be contacted by the material discharges from said conveyor to thereby break up any compacted material and also including adjacent downwardly and inwardly inclined walls for guiding the material toward the center of said spreader means, and means detachably supporting said spreader unit rearwardly of said receiving hopper, said latter means comprising oppositely extending angle members xed relative to said hopper body, hooks fixed to said unit and engaging over said angle members, and bolts extending through said angle members and said unit below said hooks.

4. A material spreading apparatus comprising in combination a material receiving hopper having a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof and also a delivery opening in an end wall thereof, anendless conveyor below said discharge opening for conveying the material in the direction of said delivery opening, a spreader unit extending from said conveyor and said de.- livery opening, rotatable spreader means carried by said spreader unit, said spreader unit including a pair of downwardly convergent side walls and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined forward wall for delivering the material adjacent the center of said spreader means, said spreader unit also including a vertical rear wall disposed in a position to be contacted by the material discharged from said conveyor to thereby break up any compacted material, means detachably supporting said spreader unit rearwardly of said receiving hopper, said latter means comprising oppositely extending angle members fixed relative to said hopper body, hooks fixed to said unit engaging over said angle members, bolts extending through said angle members and said unit below said hooks, a verticaliy shiftable gate carried by the rear Wall of said receiving hopper, and axially aligned telescoping shaft members for detachably coupling said conveyor to said unit.

GEORGE O. HOFFSTETTER. 

